Fuel-reserve tank.



W. D. ROCKWELL.

FUEL RESERVE TANK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, I917.

Patented NW0 2?, 1917,.

mwms o an we w l'ofa M1m% k m m M i WILLIAM D. ROCKWELL, 035 DETROIT,MKGHlIfi-AN.

FUEL-RESERVE TANK Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2?,191-3.

Application filed. June aa, 1917. Serial No. 1178,9389.

tank, and has special reference to the fuel.

supply system of automobiles, motor trucks and similar vehicles,utilizing a liquid fuel,

as gasolene in connection with an explosive engine, as a power plant.

My invention aims, in its broadest aspects to provide the main fuelsupply tank of an automobile with an auxiliary or reserve tank orreceptacle, which must be necessarily filled in advance of the main fuelsupply tank, always insuring a reserve of fuel for emergency purposes.It is in this connection that it is impossible for the operator of anautomobile to fill the main fuel supply tank and neglect to fill theauxiliary tank or receptacle, and by providing an auxiliary or reservesupply of fuel, the operator of the automobile is relieved ofwatchfulness when the supply of fuel is about to be exhausted.

To these and other ends, my invention includes an auxiliary tank orreserve receptacle that can be mounted in the filling connection of themain tank and filled in advance of said main tank, or the auxiliary tankor reserve receptacle may be made a part of the main tank to be filledtherefrom. In either form of my invention, an automobile operator isrelieved of considerable anxiety as to a supply of fuel for emergencypurposes, and either form of the invention may be used with the presentknown systems of feeding gasolene to a carbureter or engine.

My invention will be hereinafter specifically described and thenclaimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein- Figure 1is a side elevation of a portion of a main fuel supply tank, partlybroken away and partly in section, showing the preferred form ofauxiliary tank, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating a modified form of auxiliarytank.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a; portion of the mainfuel supply tank and this tank has the top wall 2 thereof provided withan opening 3 in which is mounted a filling connection 4 having aperipheral flange 5 welded or otherwise secured to the top wall 2. Thefilling connection 1 has the inner walls thereof screwthreaded so that aconventional cap 6 may be attached to the connection 4t to close thesame, said cap having the usual vent openmg. I

Mounted in the filling connection 4: is the upper exteriorly threadedend 7 of an auxiliary tank 8, said tank being cylindrical and extendinginto proximity to the bottom of the main tank 1. The side walls of theauxiliary tank 8, at the upper end thereof, are-providedwith openings 9and adjacent said openings are angularly disposed bafie members 10.

The bottom of the auxiliary tank has an outlet opening 11 normallyclosed by an inward opening valve 12 on the end of the rod 13 thatextends upwardly through one of the bailie members 10 and terminates ina crank or suitable handle 14 in the upper end of the auxiliary tank.The rod 13 also extends through a guide 15 carried by the side wall ofthe tank 8, and encircling said rod between the guide 15 and the valve12, is-a coiled compression spring 16, the expansive force of whichholds the valve 12 normally seated to close the opening 11.

When the cap or closure 6 is removed, gasolene or other liquid fuel canbe poured into the auxiliary tank 8 and as this tank becomes filled, itwill overflow with gasolene or liquid fuel passing through the openings9 into the main tank 1, which may be completely or partially filled.When the operator of an automobile finds the supply of gasolene in themain tank 1 is exhausted or dangerously low, then by removing the cap orclosure o'and raising the rod 13, the valve 12 will be opened allowingthe contents of the auxiliary tank 8 to flow into the main tank andreplenish the supply. The capacity of the auxiliary tank is such thatthere will be sufficient gasolene or liquid fuel to supply the powerplant of an automobile until a service station can be reached.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing, there is illustr'ated a modification of myinvention, wherein an auxiliary tank 17 is carried by a side wall of amain tank 18, and the auxili iary tank 17 need not be a part of thefilling connection of the main tank 18. The auxilitilt iary tank 17,besides having a spring pressed normally closed bottom valve 19, hasaspring pressed normally closed side valve 20 and as the main tank 18 isfilled the valve 20 is opened by pressure of fuel in the main tank sothat the auxiliary tank 17 will be filled .with gasolene from the maintank 18. After the auxiliary tank 17 is filled, valve 20 is closed bythe pressure of gasolene within the auxiliary tank and by the expansiveforce of a spring 21 associated with said valve. The contents of themain tank 18 can therefore be used independently of the contents of theauxiliary tank 17, and for emergency puroses, the contents of theauxiliar tank can e released to enter the main tan by manually openingthe valve 19.

In this modified form of construction, the side valve 20 is slidable ona stem 22 carried by a spider in the inlet openin 23 of the auxiliarytank and said stem has a cross head 24 with the spring 21 interposed between the valve and the cross head.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that I have devised novel meanswithin the main-tank for reserving a supply of fuel for emergencypurposes, and while 1n the drawings there are illustrated the preferredembodiments of my invention, it is to he unto hold a reserve quantity offuel, said auxil- V iary tank having the upper end thereof pro- Videdwith overflow openings into said tank and the bottom thereof providedwith an opening, an inwardly opening valve nor-.

mally closing the opening of said auxiliary tank, baiile members in theupper end of said auxiliary tank adjacent the overflow opening thereof,a rod attached to said valve and extending upwardly in said auxiliary Itank through one of said baflle members and adapted to be manuallyelevated toraise said valve, a guide for said rod, and a springinterposed between said guide and said valve adapted to hold said valvenormally closed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the. presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM D. ROCKWELL.

Witnesses:

O'rro F. BARTHEL, ANNA M. Donn.

